BATON ROUGE - Citing an outbreak among key staff and a surge in COVID cases across the state, the federal courthouse in downtown Baton Rouge says it will halt all in-person proceedings until mid-August. 

Louisiana's Middle District Court announced that as of Wednesday it was moving all court activities to remote operations until at least Aug. 16. All public events scheduled at the court during that time are canceled.

In a statement, the court said the decision was due to positive coronavirus cases among key staff "in virtually every Court Unit" as well as Louisiana's ongoing surge. 

Read the full statement below. 

As a result of numerous confirmed positive cases of the COVID-19 virus among key operational personnel in virtually every Court Unit, we cannot responsibly conduct in-court proceedings during the current surge in cases in the Court and in our communities. All Court activities have been moved to remote operations under our Continuity of Operations Plan until no earlier than Monday, August 16th. Filings in non-sealed matters which are required to be filed in-person will be permitted via a drop-box set up in the lobby of the Clerk of Court’s Office or via U.S. Mail. CM/ECF will continue to be available 24 x 7 for all filings not required to be submitted in-person. All public events scheduled in the courthouse during this period are hereby canceled. Please contact the chambers of any judge with whom you have meetings or hearings scheduled during this period to determine how such business will be conducted or rescheduled. Remote operations will be in effect until further Order of the Court.